


Is This Really It?

by malaccompagne



Category: VA-11 Hall-A (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Late Night Conversations, reflecting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-05 13:30:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13388811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malaccompagne/pseuds/malaccompagne
Summary: Jill’s new bar is ok, Gill transferred with her, Rad Shiba’s visits are rare thanks to her new boss, Dana and Gabby visit every now-and-then, and despite befriending a billionaire, an idol, and a dubious live-streamer, business isn’t overwhelming.Too bad those are the only changes to her life.





	Is This Really It?

“Britney was a bitch, really toxic. All she wanted was to see the dogs and then toss me aside when she couldn't get to them! I'm a person not a gateway!”  
Betty is near her drinking limit and ranting loudly in Deal’s ear towards Jill about her latest mess of a date that week.  
“While Betty can get overboard in her descriptions of her partners, I can backup that this is the truth. Britney tried to get the meeting in room 9c to play fetch with her. And while I was jealous of her position, we’re now a few days behind schedule and we need new office chairs.”  
Betty slams her drink on the table, “And I had to treat them all after! Because she used some *hic* shit for the dogs or something on the ball, riled them all the fuck up.”  
“Well that’s some feat? I didn’t even know there was some akin to catnip for dogs.”  
“There’s a part of me that believes whatever it was wasn’t legal.” Deal grimaces “Something that causes one lose such control, it can’t happen again”  
(If only people had the same conviction on human drug problems as you do for dogs.)  
Jill doesn’t say this.

Later in the conversation, Dorothy comes in, chats up Gil before she scooches her way down they counter by Deal and Jill and further enables Betty’s terrible, drunken ideas before she stomps out the door determined with Deal coming after calling her back.  
Dorothy, Gil, and Jill all chat for a bit together, about the latest Lilim tech, the new laws and law enforcement, the dirty things one shouldn't discuss while on the clock.  
“If they need such a law on parts of them,” Gil leans on the counter “that aren’t even used by military-grade classes, why have the parts commercially manufactured at all?”  
“Maybe to test us, being a guinea pig city and all, hey Jill can I get a sugar rush?”  
While Jill makes the drink they continue, and soon Gil leaves to deal with a ringing that he insist he and everyone else didn’t here  
“Alright then, I need to start heading out to, new client likes the morning and I get paid extra!” Dorothy hops off her stool and stretches needlessly.  
(She JUST got her drink so she decides to leave now?)  
Jill doesn’t say this.  
“Well, I haven’t seen the White Mafia Members in awhile-”  
“MAFIA WHAT? WHAT’S A MAFIA?” A glass shatters  
“... So, I assume walking more than a few blocks is safer than usual, sure you won’t need a cab?”  
“JillyBilly,” Dorothy tries to sway Jill with a cute pout, “Even if they were more active right now i have class-5 armaments on me! And new little boosters on my heels, so getting home safe isn’t my problem but theirs.”  
(But she’s only one lilim against a whole block, and unlike human parts, Lilim pieces don’t rot so people can easily hide parts waiting for a buyer.)  
Jill doesn’t say this.  
“... If you don’t leave now then I'm making Gil tag along to get you there.”  
Dorothy chugs the rest of her drink. “okayhoneytellingramisaidhiifhecom-.” She’s out the door before the end of the sentence.  
Ingram doesn’t come but Mario does on a delivery, and the night is over.  
-  
Gabby’s presence doesn’t help Jill sleep, but she’s less hot and antsy when she’s there and her beer supply goes slower.  
She stays for days at a time during the summer, her things slowly become a fixture in Jill’s apartment as well as a cause for an actual futon as two people under the futatsu is cramped. Gabby’s parents were surprisingly happy to hear from Jill again. She forgot they ever liked her but they were kind, offering financial help (declined) and a few meetup meals (accepted).  
Although many things had been uprooted, things were better. She couldn’t lie to herself and say things were only different. Jill was happier, she had a sister and in-laws again, a hopefully-permanent job at a new bar, while old co-workers and regulars were never too far.  
However there was still Anna.  
Anna Graem hadn’t left. She still stayed in Jill’s house, visited the bar, came everywhere Jill went. Anna didn’t leave, Jill didn’t push her to. There was no Lenore to follow her anymore and Gabby had a life, so any constant company was good company.  
They rarely ever had a night where they didn’t talk after Gabby was asleep.  
“Your sisters’ so sweet, you tell her that when she wakes up, kay?”  
Anna circles her finger around her can of beer (the same can Jill gives her every night, just to be courteous) while she stares a Gaby and whispers with a soft smile.  
“She’s cute, I wish I could tell her myself.”  
“You could try, couldn’t you? Haven’t you been practicing with the TV?”  
Jill hasn’t touched her beer, not out of respect for Anna anymore, simply finding she doesn’t have the appetite when she’s around.  
“I have been, even when she’s playing on the game system, but she doesn’t have any reaction at all.”  
They’re quiet again, looking down at their drinks, Anna continues circling her drink while Jill holds Fore in her lap.  
“There’s a man about a block from the bar, hangs out there everyday,” Anna’s words are sudden “He used to be able to see me, chat with me sometimes. He doesn’t anymore, I think he lost the ability to see me.”  
Jill stares at Anna.  
(Your Point?) She isn’t sure how to formulate what to say, so she thinks instead.  
“I think I'm starting to fade.”

Again, they don’t speak but there isn’t quiet, there is tension they can hear.  
“Last night, you didn’t respond to anything I sad, you just got Gaby for bed and went to sleep.”  
Anna takes a breath, and another before she continues.  
“I'm not mad, I figured this would happen at some point, I never believed ghost hung around forever. I'm really happy I can finally move on, maybe even reincarnate, live a new life. But really this is just a long way to say that while I'm happy to finally move on, I'm going to miss you, and i needed to get that off my chest.”  
Anne sighs as if a weight has been taken off her and slides her head to the table, head turned away from the patio door.  
“I can tell you need to say something too. Go ahead, I’m here to listen.”  
Jill attempts to open her beer but fails and clips her finger on the tab before she speaks.   
“I feel like this all has to come to an end sometime. I can’t be a granny bartender, This can’t be the rest of my life and if I want to help Gaby, I can’t support her with this kind of income.” Jill isn’t whispering anymore but thankfully, it isn’t loud enough to wake Gaby or Fore.  
They stay silent for a bit before Anna pipes up, “It won’t be the rest of your life, I know it won’t be. You’ll probably be some weird novelist who leavers her house twice a week to get groceries and go to the bar.”  
“What do we know? I could end up stuck switching betweens bars, forced to stand with my bad hip because I don’t have a damn clue how I want to take care of who I love yet.”  
She reaches out her hand to hover over Jill’s.  
“This isn’t your whole life; you succeeded when you weren’t a bartender too, don’t forget that. You still have time for maybe two more jobs, plenty of people to meet and concerts to see; you might even move out of Glitch City, there’s a lot coming for you.”  
Jill relaxes finally and imitates holding Anna’s hand back.  
They sit together for sometime more, relaxed more than earlier in night, content together having their minds spoken.

“But Jill promise me two things before I go:” Anna turns to look her in the eye “Look after Rebecca for me and Gaby for yourself.”  
Jill nods and begins to lay down with Fore and Gaby.  
(Promise me you’ll come back one more time before you disappear.)  
Jill Doesn’t say this.  
“Okay.”  
And Jill drifts to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> First time posting fic since i was 12 so, please leave feedback I beg you
> 
> Also it's rushed bc I've been stretching out working on this for months and I want to accomplish something I set myself on for once


End file.
